Federal Judge Orders End to 51-year-old Bible Classes in Tennessee County's Public Schools

[WND]

CHATTANOOGA - The Tennessee county that grappled with religion in the classroom when it was the site of the Scopes Monkey Trial in 1925 was ordered by a federal judge Friday to stop holding Bible classes in its elementary schools.

The classes, which have been offered in Rhea County for 51 years, violate the constitutional separation of church and state, U.S. District Judge Allan Edgar ruled.

The 30-minute classes were held weekly for about 800 students in kindergarten through fifth grade at the county's three elementary schools. Parental consent was not required and students were allowed to participate in alternative activities if they objected to the classes.

A couple with two children attending the schools had sued over the Bible classes, taught by students from Bryan College, a Christian college in Dayton named for the orator and presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan.

Dayton, about 40 miles west of Chattanoooga, is where Bryan and the lawyer Clarence Darrow squared off in the courtroom during the prosecution of schoolteacher John T. Scopes for teaching evolution instead of the biblical story of creation.

Scopes was found guilty and fined $100, but his conviction was thrown out on a technicality by the Tennessee Supreme Court.

In the more recent case, the Rhea County school system contended that the Bible classes include "character education."

But the judge ruled that county school officials "acted with both purpose and effect to endorse and advance religion in the public schools."

The identities of the parents who sued have not been disclosed. A branch of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a nonprofit First Amendment organization, was also a plaintiff.

"We are always happy to see the wall of separation between church and state buttressed or strengthened," said Dan Barker, a spokesman.

Rhea County school board chairman John Mincey said the decision would be appealed. "We still feel like we haven't had our day in court," he said.

Meanwhile in California:

[ Editorial comment ]

The curriculum in the Byron Union School District in California requires history students to:

* chant and pray to "Allah."
* dress as Muslims.
* choose new Muslim names.

According to a course description given to the students: "You and your classmates will become Muslims. Dressing as a Muslim and trying to be involved will increase your learning and enjoyment."

I suppose that there was a lot of time in History classes that needed to be filled since they removed the contributions of Christianity not to mention the founding fathers, the pilgrims and all mention of war.

Folks, it's time to admit that the US government and its vast bureaucracy are anti-Christian. The president may claim to be a Christian, but the government he heads contradicts that statement. May I point out that Arafat claims to be all for peace? I see no difference. **Ed.

Islam: Another Way to God?

In our post-September 11th world we have probably heard more about Islam than at any other time in our lives - at least we have certainly listened more to what is being said about this religion and its beliefs. How should Christians respond in a time when confusion and fear are natural reactions to a national tragedy?

We must strike a balance between reacting in fear and accepting the view that Islam is just "another way to God." It is not. To borrow a phrase from Pastor Mickey Carter, "things that are different are not the same."

There are many contrasts that can be made between the Christian worldview and the Islamic worldview. Below are just a few to begin your understanding of just how different Islam is from Christianity.

Christian Worldview: Creation by God of all that exists (Genesis 1:1)
Islamic Worldview: Creation by Allah of all that exists (Koran 13:2-4, 31:10-11, 6:2, 15:26, 16:4, 22:5)

Christian Worldview: There is one God. He exists eternally in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18-23, Mark 12:29, John 14:26, Matthew 28:19)
Islamic Worldview: There is one God (Allah). They reject that Jesus is divine, but simply one of God's prophets - of which Mohammad is the greatest (Koran 4:171-172, 5:114-116)

Christian Worldview: God has revealed Himself through the Bible and most clearly in Jesus Christ, the incarnation of God Himself (Colossians 1:13-17, 2nd Timothy 3:16, 2nd Peter 2:21)
Islamic Worldview: Allah never would reveal himself, instead he reveals his will, not himself (Koran 2:97-98, 18:25, this revelation came, according to Islamic tradition, from the angel Gabriel during Ramadan in the year 610)

Christian Worldview: Man made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27)
Islamic Worldview: Man NOT made in the image of God (God is viewed as totally transcendent and different from man in all ways)

Christian Worldview: Adam and Eve sinned and thus brought sin into the world (Genesis 3:1-7)
Islamic Worldview: Adam & Eve sinned, then repented and were forgiven, with no continuing effects of their rebellion (Koran 2:32-37)

Christian Worldview: Original Sin - all of Adam's posterity are born with a sin nature and are sinful from birth (Romans 3:22-23, 1st John 1:10)
Islamic Worldview: Does not believe in original sin, nor that all men are sinful. After his sin and repentance God makes Adam his deputy (caliph) and the first of the prophets. (Koran 20:115-124)

Christian Worldview: Man is by nature sinful and has need for redemption by the atonement of Jesus Christ (Romans 5:6, 8:32, Colossians 1:19-20, Hebrews 7:26-27, 9:26, 10:12, 1st John 4:10)
Islamic Worldview: Man is basically good but prone to mistakes. Muslims who repent and submit to God return to a state of sinlessness, with no help from Christ (or anyone) needed. (Koran 7:22-33)

Christian Worldview: Through the work of Christ, God adopts Christians into His family and calls them His children (Romans 8:14-15, Ephesians 1:5, Galatians 4:5)
Islamic Worldview: Through rigorous religious ritual man can become a servant of Allah but will never be considered a part of Allah's family (Koran 19:60, 25:70, 39:61, 47:2)

[ Bill Haynes, American Center for Law & Justice Senior Policy Analyst for Cultural & Worldview Studies with editing by Dr. David Marlett, TCCN editor ]

For More Information

"Parental Right to Opt Children Out of Objectionable School Curricula; Memorandum of Law"

( An informational letter from Jay Sekulow. )

http://www.aclj.org/resources/studrts/resources/optout.asp

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